Flatfile (PennMUSH)

Even a minimal PennMUSH flatfile containing only two objects is too large to be included here, but an abbreviated example appears at the end of this article.

Headers

PennMUSH Version Header

A PennMUSH version header begins with +V, and continues with a number, n, where (n mod 256) = 2:

+V2143284226

The real flags are found with (n/256 - 5). The 5 seems to be a secondary version number indicating NO_CHAT. The alternative is 6 which indicates CHAT, but this is no longer used. The remaining bits indicate optional capabilities. PennMUSH manages format changes primarily with capability bits -- leaving the primary and secondary version numbers unchanged. In our example, the number indicates the following capabilities (oldest first):

NO_CHAT_SYSTEM WARNINGS CREATION_TIMES NEW_STRINGS TYPE_GARBAGE SPLIT_IMMORTAL NO_TEMPLE LESS_GARBAGE AF_VISUAL VALUE_IS_COST LINK_ANYWHERE NO_STARTUP_FLAG AF_NODUMP SPIFFY_LOCKS NEW_FLAGS NEW_POWERS POWERS_LOGGED LABELS SPIFFY_AF_ANSI HEAR_CONNECT

SPIFFY_LOCKS was introduced with PennMUSH 1.7.5p0 (11/14/2001), nearly ten years ago. Capabilities earlier in the list are older. NEW_FLAGS, NEW_POWERS, POWERS_LOGGED, and LABELS were introduced with PennMUSH 1.7.7p40 (12/01/2004). The other capabilities do not affect the format of the flatfile.

So, if SPIFFY_LOCKS does not appear, the flatfile is older than ten years, and LABELS indicates whether the flatfile is 'new' or 'old'.

Object Count

~<objects>

In our example (which contains only three objects), we see a "~3" on a line by itself which indicates the size of the dataabase. This field could also be called a size hint because PennMUSH could either pre-allocate memory for the objects which are to follow or ignore the hint and accept each object as it appears.

End Of Dump

Every flatfile ends with '***END OF DUMP***' on the last line.

Minimal Flatfile Example

The following is the 'new' style:

+V2143284226
savedtime "Sat Jul 10 14:45:02 2010"
+FLAGS LIST
flagcount 62
 name "CHOWN_OK"
  letter "C"
  type "ROOM EXIT THING"
  perms ""
  negate_perms ""
 name "DARK"
  letter "D"
  type "PLAYER ROOM EXIT THING"
  perms ""
  negate_perms ""

... remaining 60 flags not shown ...

flagaliascount 17
 name "LISTEN_PARENT"
  alias "^"
 name "CHAN_USEFIRSTMATCH"
  alias "CHAN_FIRSTMATCH"

... remaining 15 flag aliases not shown ...

+POWER LIST
flagcount 34
 name "Announce"
  letter ""
  type "PLAYER ROOM EXIT THING"
  perms "wizard log"
  negate_perms "wizard"
 name "Boot"
  letter ""
  type "PLAYER ROOM EXIT THING"
  perms "wizard log"
  negate_perms "wizard"

... remaining 32 powers not shown ...

flagaliascount 8
 name "Cemit"
  alias "@cemit"
 name "Announce"
  alias "@wall"

... remaining 6 power aliases not shown ...

~3
!0
name "Room Zero"
location #-1
contents #1
exits #-1
next #-1
parent #-1
lockcount 0
owner #1
zone #-1
pennies 0
type 1
flags "LINK_OK"
powers ""
warnings ""
created 1278000353
modified 1278000353
attrcount 1
 name "DESCRIBE"
  owner #1
  flags "no_command visual prefixmatch"
  derefs 3
  value "You are in Room Zero."
!1
name "One"
location #0
contents #-1
exits #0
next #-1
parent #-1
lockcount 3
 type "Basic"
  creator #1
  flags "no_inherit"
  derefs 0
  key "=#1"
 type "Enter"
  creator #1
  flags "no_inherit"
  derefs 0
  key "=#1"
 type "Use"
  creator #1
  flags "no_inherit"
  derefs 0
  key "=#1"
owner #1
zone #-1
pennies 150
type 8
flags "WIZARD CONNECTED"
powers ""
warnings ""
created 1278000353
modified 0
attrcount 8
 name "DESCRIBE"
  owner #1
  flags "no_command visual prefixmatch"
  derefs 1
  value "You see Number One."
 name "LAST"
  owner #1
  flags "wizard visual locked prefixmatch"
  derefs 0
  value "Sat Jul 10 07:44:34 2010"
 name "LASTFAILED"
  owner #1
  flags "wizard locked prefixmatch"
  derefs 0
  value " "
 name "LASTIP"
  owner #1
  flags "wizard locked prefixmatch"
  derefs 0
  value "::ffff:127.0.0.1"
 name "LASTSITE"
  owner #1
  flags "wizard locked prefixmatch"
  derefs 0
  value "sdennis@localhost"
 name "MAILCURF"
  owner #1
  flags "no_command wizard locked"
  derefs 0
  value "0"
 name "MAILFOLDERS"
  owner #1
  flags "no_command wizard locked prefixmatch"
  derefs 0
  value "0:INBOX:0 "
 name "XYXXY"
  owner #1
  flags "no_command wizard locked internal"
  derefs 0
  value "XX41009057111400169070"
!2
name "Master Room"
location #-1
contents #-1
exits #-1
next #-1
parent #-1
lockcount 0
owner #1
zone #-1
pennies 0
type 1
flags "FLOATING"
powers ""
warnings ""
created 1278000353
modified 1278000353
attrcount 1
 name "DESCRIBE"
  owner #1
  flags "no_command visual prefixmatch"
  derefs 1
  value "This is the master room. Any exit in here is considered global. The same is true for objects with $-commands placed here."
***END OF DUMP***